Patkick mogeb



(No Model.)

P. MCGEB.

APPARATUS FOR GLBANING CHARGEDy GAS PIPES. No. l380,910.

Patented Apr. 10, 1.888..

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.Z'NYENTEI Nv PETERS Phnwlilhagmpner. wnshmgmn. n. C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PATRICK MCGEE, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING CHARGED GAS-PIPES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380.910, dated April10. 1838.

Application filed April 13, 1887. Serial Nomi-1.5651'. (No model.)

lb all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, PATRICK MGGEE, of the city and county of Providence,and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus for Cleaning Charged Gas-Pi pes, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

t 'Ihisinvention relates to apparatus for cleaning the bores of theservice or distributing pipes of gas-mains.

In the ordinary illuminating-gas-distributing systems the gas-main isrun underground along a street and parallel to the building-lines of thehouses to be supplied with gas. The indlvidual supplies are obtained byrunning lateral branch or service pipes from the main into the houses.

VThe mains are sometimes constructed so that some provision is made forkeeping them from becoming foul and choked up with accumulated deposits.Vhen the branch pipes,which are of a comparatively small bore, becomechoked or stopped up with deposits, it is a difiicultmatter to clean thesame, and often the pipes are dug up for the purpose of thoroughlycleaning them. Again, it is often attempted to clean the branch pipes byopening the pipe at a point in the cellar of the house between the mainand the gas-meter and inserting cleaning or scraping devices in the pipeand loosening the dirt lodged therein, and the loosened dirt is blownout of the pipe by the outilowing gas with which the pipe is chargedunder pressure. These branch pipes are for the greater part straight,and it is therefore possible to clean them in this manner; but such amethod is not at all practical, for the reasons that the escaping gasbecomes a dangerous element and is injurious to the workman andcontaminates the atmosphere of thehouse, and, moreover, renders liablethe occurrence of an explosion. Besides these objections, the fouldeposits removed from the Vpipe become scattered about the cellar, wherethey are lodged and remain very offensive for a prolonged period.

The objects of my invention are to provide apparatus for cleaninggas-pipes whereby the cleaning may be effected with perfect safety toFig.

the workman and the surroundings and the work may be done with muchthoroughness and cleanliness, and whereby the dirt removed from thepipes may be collected conveniently in a catch-receptacle.

To the above purposes my invention consists in the certain combinationsset forth in the claims at the close of this specification, and whichcomprise the following mechanical features, namely: a charged gas-pipe,a cleaning device and cleaner-rod, a gate-valve adapted to be mountedupon the free end of the gaspipe, a packing-box for the cleaner-rod towork through, and an injector adapted to be entered within the gas-pipe.

In order vthat my invention may be fully understood, I have illustratedin the accompanying drawings and will proceed to describe the best withthe knowledge that the same admits of modiiications in details thereof.y

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a longitudinalsectional view of a portion of a branch service gaspipe which hasattached thereto the gate-valve provided with an attached packing-box. Acleaning device is inserted within the bore of the pipe, and thecleaner-rod extends therefrom through the gate-valve and the packing-boxto the outside thereof, so as to be accessible for the necessarymanipulation in operating the cleaning device. Fig. 2 representsasectional view of the gateyalve, taken on line 2 2in l. Fig. 3represents a view in elevation of another form of cleaning device havinga sectional cleaner-rod, which is shown partly broken away. Fig. 4represents aview in elevation of a tubular injector made in section, andshown partly broken away.

In the said drawings like numbers of referencel designate correspondingparts throughout.

Referring to the drawings, the number 7 designates the branch or servicegas-pipe, which may be supposed to lie within the cellar of a house, andfrom which a section of pipe has been removed to gain access to theinterior of the branch leading to the main. The gas-pipe 7 is ofcoursecharged with illuminating-gas, which is maintained under considerablepressure, and hence very efficient form thereof so far devised by me,

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sealing means are required to prevent the gas from escaping while thebranch is being cleaned.

The gate-valve 8 consists of a casing or coupling, 9, open at bothends,whereit is provided with internal screw-threads. In the side ofthe-casing 9 is set a socket-piece, 10, through the central opening ofwhich works the valvestem 11, which is provided with the hand- Wheel12,keyed to the end of the same. The lower half, 13, ofthe gate-valve issecured in the bottom of the valve-casing and is provided with a rubberpacking, 14,*which is formed with a longitudinal semi-cylindricalgroove, 15, on its upper face. The upper half, 16, of the valve issecured to the foot of the valve-stem 11 and is likewise provided with arubber packing, 17, similar to the piece 14. Vhen the upper half of thevalve is closed down,on the fixed lower half, as shown in Fig. 1, thegrooves of the rubber packings form a tubular channel, and when the saidhalf is raised the opening of the valve is like that shown in Fig. 2.

The packing-box l8is provided with the annular packing 19 at the outerend thereof, while the inner end is formed with a reduced portion, 20,having an external screw-thread designed to fit into the outer mouthofthe valve-casing 9, as shown in Fig. 1.

' The cleaningV device consists of a bar, 2l, having twoscraper-flanges, 22, running spirally around the same in oppositedirections.

' One end of the bar 21 is screw-threaded to receive l theinternally-screw-threaded cleanerrod 23, which forms an even jointtherewith.

In Fig. 3 the cleaning device is formed differently from that in Fig. 1,and in place of the spiral cleaner-flanges the scraper-head 22 is used,and the same consists of a body hav ingasharpened circumferential edgeand provided With a central perforation, so as to receive the endof thecleaner-rod 23, which is secured thereto by the nut on the screwthreadedend of the rod, as illustrated.

In Fig. et the injector 24 consistsof a tube or pipe having one endclosed and provided with the perforation 25, and the cleaner-rod 23 is apipe which is secured thereto, so that any liquid may be forced thereinand out of the injector.

The method of using my improved apparatus will be easily understood.Before removing thesection of pipe from the charged branch pipe to gainaccess to the interior thereof I insert the cleaner-rod 23 or the bar21, bearing the cleaning device, in theopening of the gatevalve, which Ithen close tight. Next Iremovethe section of pipe from the chargedbranch 7 and quickly insert the cleaning device in the bore of the saineand screw the gate-valve upon the opened free end ofthe pipe, as shownin Fig. l. This leaves the cleaning device within the pipe, and at thesame time the rubber packing ofthe gate-valve prevents any leakage ofgas around the rod or bar. Under this condition the cleaning device vmaybe readily moved about within the pipe-bore to scrape the walls of thesame, but

only for a limited distance.

In order to reach a greater distance within the pipe, I attach lanothersection of cleanerrod 23 to the bar or rod, and in case of the evencoupling-j oint shown in the drawings the same may be pushed through theclosed gate-valve and worked as desired. However, as I intend to useordinary gas-pipes of small diameter for the sectional cleaner-rods, andas the same are usually coupled up by means of a couplingsleeve ofgreater diameter than the pipes, the joint formed will be uneven andcannot be pushed through the closed gate-valve. I therefore haveprovided a packing-box, 18, before described,and which,after a sectionof cleanerrod is coupled on, is introduced over the free end of the'same until the uneven couplingjoint is within the box, when thecleaner-rod of uniform diameter is pushed through the closed gate valvetill the packing box isL brought into position to be secured onto thevalve-casing 9,as shown in Fig. 1. When this is accomplished,thegate-valve is opened wide, and thereby permits the uneven coupling-joint to pass therethrough and the cleaning device to be introducedfarther into the branch pipe toward the main and to clean the bore ofthe pipe, while the packing 19 of the box securely seals the box againstthe'leakage of gas during the `working of the cleaner.

It is to be understood that when a new section of cleaner-rod is to beadded and which has an uneven coupling-joint the gate-valve is firstclosed to prevent escapement of gas, then the packing-box is releasedand slid back clear oft' the cleaner-rod while the new section isadded,after which the packing-box is replaced, as above described.

The injector may be entered within the branch pipe and the escapement ofgas prevented by followingthe same method and using the same applianceshereinbefore described in the operations of the cleaning device. Theinjector is used for the purpose of washing the pipes out by the use ofa liquid-such, for example, as naphtha.

By the use of my invention all the evils resulting from the voluminousescapement of gas and the scattering about the premises of the removedfilth of the pipes are completely obviated, and especially is theoperator protected against the injury of escaping gas.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- `1. The combination, as hereinbefore set forth, witha gas-pipe, of a cleaning device provided with a rod, a clamping deviceprovided with means Whereby it may be fastened upon the opened end ofthe gas-pipe and support the cleaning-rod within said pipe, and apacking-box mounted upon the outer endgof the gate-valve casing, thesaid cleaning-rod extending through the gate-valve and the packing-box,substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

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2. The combination, as hereinbefore set the rod to provide againstleakage, and a reforth, with a gas-pipe, of a cleaning device movablepacking-box mounted upon the outer fo provided with a sectional rod, aremovable end of the valve-casing for preventing the esgate-valveprovided with means whereby it cape of gas, substantially as described.

5 may be fastened to the open end of the pipe PATRICK MCGEE.

and support the eieaningrod Within said pipe, Witnesses: and having thetwo parts of the valve pro J. A. MILLER, Jr.,

vided with grooved rubber packing for packing M. F. BLIGH.

